Las Vegas Police: Dina and Markiece Palmer Beat 7-Year-Old Son Roderick Arrington to Death for Not Reading Bible

A Nevada couple has been arrested and charged with beating the woman’s young son to death because he would not read the Bible.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that seven-year-old Roderick Addington was allegedly beaten to death by his mother, Dina Palmer and his stepfather, Markiece Palmer, at the family’s Las Vegas home last Thursday.

Roderick Arrington (Photo: Facebook)

Las Vegas Metro Police claim the couple killed their son because he would not read the Bible or do his homework. The Palmers were arrested and charged with murder, child abuse and neglect.

The boy, a second-grader at Roundy Elementary School, was rushed to the University Medical Center’s pediatric intensive care unit in critical condition on Thursday following the alleged beating. A doctor at the hospital reported that the boy suffered from strokes and fixed pupils as well as severe bruises on his arms, abdomen, back, legs and buttocks.

“The buttocks had fresh opened wounds that appeared to be from being whipped,” the report said.

The badly beaten boy underwent surgery but died at UMC on Friday.

Dina and Markiece Palmer have been charged with murder. (Photo: Facebook)

Markiece Palmer told police that he had only spanked the boy twice, once after he moved to Nevada after living with his father and grandmother in Illinois, and again on the date he was admitted to the hospital. Palmer said he hit the child after the boy told him that he wasn’t his real father and that he hated him.

Police say Palmer later admitted that he beat Roderick with numerous household items, including a belt, a spatula and a wooden paddle, as well as with his hands. Dina Palmer, who initially denied involvement in the beatings, subsequently confessed to participating in the abuse.

Markiece Palmer later told police that he beat Roderick because the boy lied about reading a chapter in the Bible. The next day, the boy was beaten again when he lied about completing his homework.

When police asked Dina Palmer about the bruises on the boy’s body, she allegedly confessed that they were from “whoopins” administered by her and her husband. A warranted search of their residence turned up a broken, bloody broomstick, belts, cords, spatulas and bloody clothes.

The Palmers are being held without bail in Clark County Detention Center.

Dina Palmer’s Facebook page portrays a very different image of the parents, one of loving, devout Christians trying to do the best by young Roderick.

Shockingly, a similar case has occurred in Britain, where 33-year-old Cardiff mom Sara Ege has been found guilty of beating her seven-year-old son Yaseen Ali Ege to death and then burning his body to conceal the crime because the boy could not memorize the Koran. Ege wanted her son to memorize the Muslim holy book to impress the imam at the family’s local mosque and became frustrated when he failed to show adequate progress. Ege told police that “the devil” told her to kill the little boy.

The alleged religious motive in Arrington’s beating death is also reminiscent of the case of Lydia Schatz, a seven-year-old California girl tortured and beaten to death last year by her adoptive parents, Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz, Christian fundamentalists who claimed God commanded them to beat their child. The couple beat Lydia for seven hours, with breaks for prayers, because she mispronounced a word during a homeschooling lesson.

The tragic news of Roderick Arrington’s death also came on the same day as reports of the beating death of five-year-old Dashawn Harris, allegedly by his mother Lashay Patterson and her boyfriend Christian Patrick, in Philadelphia. The couple allegedly tortured and beat the little boy to death during a homeschooling session. His body was covered in bruises, cigarette burns and belt marks. The couple has been arrested and charged with murder.

How much church, Bible study, and prayer is needed to keep you from going over board in religion? We had a Reverend that came apart while in the pool pit. He pulled his pants down to his ankles to make a point to the congregation. People have to realize they can not be like God or Jesus. Bible study is just like homework. You can get over worked, and that’s when things go wrong. There’s a limit to everything, and if that over zealous Christian try to make up a Bible verse to counter act this statement it’s because they are being boastful and too far in pride. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.

They beat their child to death for not reading the Bible? Clearly they never read it themselves. I hope nobody tries to blame Christianity or religion for the mess that is these two people. I guess that would make a convenient excuse, but the truth is that these are two people with mental issues that need to be addressed by a professional. I’m sure this isn’t the first time they have abused the little boy that was killed. It hurts my heart to know he was killed.

Kill People Who Don’t Listen to Priests:
Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)

Kill Witches:
You should not let a sorceress live. (Exodus 22:17 NAB)

Kill Homosexuals
“If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives.” (Leviticus 20:13 NAB)

Kill Fortunetellers:
A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

Death for Hitting Dad:
Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:15 NAB)

Death for Cursing Parents:
1) If one curses his father or mother, his lamp will go out at the coming of darkness. (Proverbs 20:20 NAB)
2) All who curse their father or mother must be put to death. They are guilty of a capital offense. (Leviticus 20:9 NLT)

This story is just one of many like it. Reading the comments here, it is truly heartening to see how many people realize the primitive and irrational ideals tied with religion. It is a shame to know that many kids have to grow up being told that religion is the answer, not truth

Reading the bible should not be the main focus right now..This baby was beaten on numerous occasions and that just makes me sick to my stomach. Both parents need to get beat to death and feel the pain baby rj had to feel!!! Point blank period.

I spit on all purveyors of hate doctrine, including religion. most people cherry pick from their religious dogma and understand that beating your child is horrible but there are plenty who take religious teachings literally and seriously believe they are doing the right thing when they hate, torture and kill. when you push religion at people, remember that some of them may be uneducated or stupid enough to actually take it to heart.